


Stay

by halfpastdead



Series: Phandom Truce 2020 [1]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Conversion, Father Figures, Ficlet, Ficlet Collection, Gen, Ghosts, Lost Time, Not Phantom Planet Compliant (Danny Phantom), Protectiveness, Time Travel, Truce 2020, ah geez really don't know how to tag this one, is not a tag here but that's kind of the danger, lol, post-reveal, the fentons aren't technically abusive but they Do Not understand and are Not Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28465572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfpastdead/pseuds/halfpastdead
Summary: When the dust of Danny's big reveal settles, his parents' reaction is worse than he'd expected. Blaming himself, he goes to Clockwork for help.Ficlet 1/3 of my Christmas Truce gifts for Marsalias / five-rivers.
Relationships: Clockwork & Danny Fenton
Series: Phandom Truce 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2085039
Comments: 5
Kudos: 130





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marsalias](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marsalias/gifts).



> Prompt: Clockwork abducting/adopting Danny because the Fentons messed up.

Danny lay in bed, watching the lights of late-night traffic dance across his ceiling. His family had gone to sleep hours ago.

_“There’s a way to do it without hurting you, Danny. We won’t give up until we find it.”_

Nope. Danny was up.

He could’ve flown, but his bare feet were silent on the steel steps. He knew from experience that once he was in the lab, chances of waking anyone upstairs were slim.

The genetic lock registered his thumbprint. After the dull sound of metal shifting, the portal swirled in his eyes. His pajamas disappeared, replaced by his glowing hazmat suit.

He clenched his fists and nodded to himself, flying into the Ghost Zone with determination. He could fix this. He _would_ fix this.

It wasn’t long before he located Clockwork’s tower. The Master of Time himself kept his back turned as Danny landed at a distance.

“This is an unexpected visit.”

“You probably saw I’d be here yesterday.” Danny muttered.

“How are you, Daniel? Adjusting well to your new home life?”

“That’s actually why I’m here.”

Clockwork frowned, aging backwards. He waved a hand, swiping away an image of the Observants at work. This would not be a short exchange. He turned and faced the halfa.

“You want your secret back.”

“No.”

“Another request. What is it?”

“I don’t miss keeping the secret, but— Clockwork, their reaction is wrong, I—”

“They understood, didn’t they?”

“Don’t you watch my life on your spooky TV thing anyway? No. They understood why I kept it a secret, they understand I’m still me, but…”

Danny waited for another interruption. Clockwork urged him to continue.

“They think it’s like… some kind of disease, or contamination. They want to separate my ghost.”

“Impossible.” Clockwork hummed.

“I know that.”

“So, what can I do for _you_? You’re looking for more than a shoulder to cry on.”

“I don’t want my secret, I just want to try telling them again.”

“You’d prefer to alter the fabric of time rather than use your words in the present?”

“It doesn’t matter what I say, I ruined any chance of them ever seeing me the same.”

“You’re not the same.”

“What do you know?”

“A lot more than you do, child.”

“If you let me go back and tell them earlier, I could explain the whole thing and maybe—”

Clockwork huffed. “Don’t take who you are now for granted. _You_ aren’t inevitable. No one is.”

“It’s my own fault. I could’ve been working on their perception of ghosts, of, well— _me._ I could’ve let them in more after I told them. I know they could understand. I’ve _seen_ it, Clockwork. Those other realities…”

“Mortals meddling with time,” Clockwork shook his head, aging rapidly. He placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “It’s best not to think on it.”

“They’ll destroy everything I am. How could I not think about it?”

“You'd never let that happen.” Danny continued to glare at the lair’s floor. Clockwork sighed. Family was so important to humans. “Stay, then. If you must think about it, think of another solution.”

“I can’t just disappear for a few days.”

“I can offer that much.” Clockwork raised his brows. “Remember where you are, Danny. You’ll be gone for no time at all.” A time medallion materialized in his hand. He tossed it to the boy.

Danny’s green eyes blazed. “So, you won’t help me, but you’ll let me crash on your couch.”

“I didn’t say I couldn’t help in other ways. I’m a friend to you, when you need my powers and when you don’t.”

“How can I tell when I need your powers, being mortal and all?”

“You can’t. That’s for me to decide.”

“That’s the worst part.”

“I can be very accommodating, if the requests aren’t too extreme.” Clockwork approached Danny, placed a hand on his shoulder. “Explore the Zone. Take some time to yourself. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.” Danny didn’t respond. “We _will_ think of something.”

“Thanks.”

“The land of the living is unkind to most ghosts, and especially cruel to halfas. Don’t mention it.” He ruffled Danny’s hair. Clockwork always made him feel like such a kid. Because the ghost was as old as time itself, he probably saw all beings that way.

“Don’t touch anything. I have something to attend to. Make yourself at home.”

“In this place?”

“I’ll be back shortly.”

Though the Observants’ Tribunal Headquarters was a realm away from his tower, it only felt like moments before Clockwork caught sight of the telescope-encrusted crag. It was unfortunate its occupants had threatened Danny’s life, otherwise he may have enjoyed its resemblance to human astronomy centers. Might have been worth a trip. He was met by two of the one-eyed ghosts immediately.

“The Fenton household. As a favor.” Clockwork commanded. He could sense their impatience. “Oh, please. Consider it payback of a debt. I fixed your ruined timeline.”

When he returned to his lair, Clockwork found Danny asleep. It was still perplexing to see a halfa in ghost-form satisfying human needs. No one slept in the Zone. He pressed his lips together.

The several hours before Danny awoke were spent pouring over scenes of what could have been. There wasn’t a timeline in which the boy’s parents didn’t consider ‘cleansing’ him. None that corresponded closely enough with the one essential to this Danny. He averted his eyes upon conjuring scenarios in which Danny allowed them to try. Success was catastrophic.

Clockwork would not take Danny’s refusal for granted. The ghost child was safe in his care. He would not use the power of time, but he would interfere if any hand threatened this dual existence.

With all his potential, the biggest threat to he boy was still himself. Always would be. Even more unusual, and perhaps just as unnerving— Clockwork would always be committed to his protection. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, Marsalias! This was definitely the most challenging of the three prompts of yours I chose. I've never written Clockwork before and had fun trying it out! Still feel like I could fine-tune.


End file.
